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“Peace is a process.”
Hawa Aganas, a Civil Affairs Officer serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, lets slip an audible sigh and displays a smile which seems both wary and weary as she comments on the proceedings that have taken place in Manyabol over the last couple of days.
Representatives of two feuding foes, the Dinka Bor and the Murle communities in the Greater Jonglei region, are all dressed to their nines. They have just signed an agreement to establish a joint, UN-coordinated committee faced with the daunting task of tackling the age-old vice of stealing children and cows from each other, with a tremendous amount of human lives lost in the process.
Not all processes are equal, however, with some requiring more patience and persistence than others. Attempting to bring inter-communal peace to the region belongs to that category. In fact, hostilities go so far back in time that nobody remains alive to tell the tale and explain how and why they once started.
“We have been fighting for a hundred years, maybe even 500 years,” acknowledges Malak Ayuen Mayen, paramount chief in Bor East County, a Dinka-dominated area, before adding: “But that was under other leaders.”
Over the last six months or so, developments have taken a turn for the worse, with several major attacks having taken place. These cattle raids and child abductions have claimed more human lives than usual. For this reason, requesting the government to conduct civilian disarmament, to collect the guns from the youths of both ethnic communities, is also part of the agreement reached on this day.
Some sixty people, a handful of women amongst them, evenly divided between the Dinka Bor and the Murle communities from different parts of Greater Jonglei, have once again gathered to discuss their differences. The aim is to come up with ways of ending the hostilities.
This time, the scene takes place in the shadow of an immense tree in Manyabol, a Murle area situated more or less halfway between the towns of Bor and Pibor, strongholds for Dinkas and Murles respectively.
Being on home turf, Malak’s Murle counterpart, the Kubal West paramount chief John Gulech Logocho, affirms that he now feels particularly committed to reaching sustainable peace.
“It is the first conference that I have decided to hold, and as one of the founders of this initiative I have to implement what we agree,” John Gulech says.
An oft-repeated, mantra-like affirmation is that the Dinka-Murle hostilities are so deeply ingrained that they have become a self-perpetuating “culture”, or everlasting circle of attacks and revenge attacks, that is near-impossible to break away from.
This sense of resignation and inevitability is still voiced by attendees, even though everyone involved is aware that the seemingly unnecessary human suffering is detrimental to both groups.
Some, like Rebecca Konyi Ibon, leader of the Murle women in Manyabol, are more inclined to assume responsibility for fatal attacks than others.
“We, the elders of both sides, were the ones advising our youth to do these things [the child abductions and cattle raids],” she admits. “But now all of us have come together as one family and agreed that we will create peace awareness. Each one of us elders will talk to our families and communities to make sure that this does not happen again.”
Addressing those in attendance, chief Gulech echoed Ms. Konyi’s admission, but also hinted that political outsiders have been involved in destabilizing relations between Dinkas and Murles.
“It’s because of us [chiefs] that our children have been dying. We chiefs should work hand in hand and stay away from politics,” he said.
Asked why the two groups have found it so difficult to bring themselves together for peace, he responded with a rhetorical question of his own. “Who do you expect to come and bring us, the Murle and our brothers from Bor, together? If you see a government official from the top ranks of the military, they are the ones who incite the youth and release them to fight each other.”
The answer, it seems, was once again the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, more specifically its Civil Affairs Division, specialized in conflict management and resolution. Its staff has been engaged in several previous and sadly unsuccessful attempts to mitigate the perennial conflict.
“We received a request from the two governors [of the Pibor and Bor areas respectively] to bring the communities together to resolve their issues. We met with representatives from the two local governments and asked them where they wanted the participants to come from, and they suggested that people living in conflict hotspots would attend,” says Hawa Aganas, explaining that this represents a new approach.
As a result, residents of at least eight different Dinka and Murle communities have shown up in Manyabol, some of whom have travelled considerable distances.
A milestone in the talks held seems to be the insights that poverty is a root cause of the hostilities, with both sides recognizing that desperation makes people resort to raids and abductions. The prevailing violence, in turn, means that much-needed humanitarian assistance is far less likely to be provided.
“The situation is getting worse and our lives are becoming more difficult, so we have realized that we need peace. There has to peace so that they [humanitarian actors] can come and help people in their areas. When there is peace there is development as all this assistance can arrive,” says Angelina Nyankuer Tong, leader of the women in the Dinka community in Duk Fagak.
Chief Malak Ayuen Mayen praises the current “good leadership”, the governors of the predominantly Murle-inhabited Boma area and the Dinka-dominated land surrounding Bor, for a new way of thinking, with a focus on modernization and education.
“Cattle raiding will make people remain in darkness, children will remain without education and they will follow the same lives of stealing and all of this, so we want to change our communities from being in darkness to the world of modernization. It is our duty and it is our will to implement peace,” he says.
His Murle counterpart Gulech Logocho shares the optimism. A visible sign of Murle goodwill, he says, is that his ethnic group, led by governor David Yau Yau, has tracked down and returned 26 abducted children and 189 heads of cattle to the Dinka Bor community.
Cattle is recognized as the supreme currency and the sign of wealth and status by both sides, with small girls, worth many cows when, or even before, they reach the legal age of marriage, primarily being abducted to be traded for instant, bovine-shaped cash. A marriage-inclined man will need the cattle to pay a hefty dowry, sometimes amounting to hundreds of precious cows, to the family of the bride he has set his eyes on.
Murle and Dinka representatives readily join the dots and acknowledge that this traditional practice directly contributes to the perpetual cycle of inter-communal cattle raiding. However, this awareness, and their belief that increased intermarriage between the two groups can reduce hostilities, is unlikely to lead to the lowering or abolishment of dowries anytime soon.
“It [doing something about the bride payment custom) is very difficult. If your grandfather got married by paying cows, and your father as well, then your daughter cannot get married without cows [being paid by the groom’s family],” Angelina Nyankuer Tong concedes.
On this day, however, peace has come again. At least for now, and to some degree.
“We don’t expect a hundred per cent adherence [to the agreement]. What I have realized is that usually, after discussions between the two communities, there is a period of time when cattle raids and child abductions don’t take place, which gives people some relative peace. That is what we expect,” says Hawa Aganas.
As part of the Manyabol agreement, the UN peacekeeping mission is requested not only to lead the reconciliation process going forward, but also to build “peace centres” in areas where neighbouring Dinka and Murle youth can continue to discuss their differences.
Photo: UNMISS / Eric Kanalstein
Michigan Seafood Summit 2015, Kellog Center, East Lansing, MI
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He was going around wearing just his tux shirt and swim trunks, offering people food off of a silver platter. Pretty classy.
Former house of the priests serving the chantry established by Nicholas, third Lord Cantilupe, now a house. 1355, extended 1366. Restored and remodelled c1843-1845. Ashlar, with hipped and gabled slate and pantile roofs with gable, ridge and side wall stacks. Coped north gable with finial, crenellated parapet to south. EXTERIOR: 2 storeys plus attics, 3 bays. East front has to right a traceried panelled door, C19, in a C14 surround with hoodmould and mask stops, resited from the north gable. To its left, two 2-light flat headed windows with ogee headed lights. Above, 3 similar windows. Above again, two raking dormers, C19, with 2-light pointed arched windows. North gable has a hipped stone oriel window on C14 figured corbels, with C19 tracery. On either side, shields with the arms of Cantilupe and Zouch. Above, a moulded niche with a seated figure. South side has a brick plinth and a corbelled-out truncated stack. To left, 3 glazing bar sashes on each floor. To right, 2 blocked lancets, and above, a 2-light window with flat head and ogee headed lights. INTERIOR remodelled with Gothick style joinery c1845, and later C19. Main rooms on each floor have flat headed doorcases with cusped pointed arched panels and quatrefoil paterae, and doors with 2 cusped pointed arched panels. Ground floor rooms have moulded plaster cornices and plain friezes. Study has stone fireplace, and adjoining dining room has Classical style wooden fireplace, both C19. First floor drawing room has a frieze of trefoils and pendants, a flat headed recess flanked by round columns with foliage capitals, and a C19 Classical style wooden fireplace. Adjoining bedroom has a similar frieze. Rear stairwell has an arch braced matchboarded roof with skylights, and a dogleg stair with square newels and turned balusters, c1870. Cellar under south range has C14 spine beam carried on posts, and C19 wine bins at the east end. EH Listing
This serving tray was cut on an epilog 40W laser cutter. I used a single sheet (18"x24") piece of acrylic to create the tray. The five parts were bonded with acrylic cement. The bottom was etched with a hexagon pattern for effect.
Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City
Capitala World Tennis Championship 2010
Rafael Nadal
Camera: Canon EOS 450D
Shutter Speed: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 400 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Lens: EF400mm f/5.6L USM
‘Old Castle Inn’ 10-11 West Castle Street, Bridgnorth, Shropshire. Friday 18 September 2015.
A very popular pub which was originally two cottages dating from the 1600's. The bar area is towards the rear and has four handpumps serving a range of real ales from local and regional brewers. The main dining area is at the front of the pub, at the rear of the pub past the bar is a conservatory/games room with a pool table and dart board. Off this room is a separate room used as overflow dining area with bench seating although this room is not really suitable to be used for dining as it is located between the rear of the bar and the kitchens with a constant flow of staff passing through it. Ideally the pool table and dart board would be better in this room (or in a skip) so that the entire conservatory could be used as a nicely laid out dining area.
For my meal I had devilled whitebait which was served with brown bread and butter for my starter, this was very good indeed and you certainly got a good portion so much so I struggled to eat all my main course. For this I had a 8oz rump steak which although cooked as I requested the meat was very fatty and I could not eat a quarter of it, the chips and other sides were fine, however I was left feeling disappointed.
To the rear of the pub there is a large beer garden with lovely views overlooking part of Bridgnorth. Had it been a nice hot summers evening this would have been ideal for sitting out in and enjoying a beer or two along with our meal.
The ‘Old Castle Inn’ is only a short walk from the Severn Valley Railway and town centre and is worth visiting.
Photograph copyright: Ian 10B.
Fort Buchanan – Paper Clips is an outlet for office products manufactured by the National Industries for the Blind (NIB). The store celebrated last 22 February 2011, its 10 year anniversary of serving customers at Fort Buchanan.
The beginnings of the stores go back to1936. Then the Winston-Salem Company started with a small workshop within their plant in North Carolina, employing six blind workers to manufacture mattresses, brooms, chairs and other items. The group kept growing to become National Industries for the Blind (NIB) which manufactures the supplies sold at Paper Clips.
“Visually impaired people tell me over and over again that even though they cannot serve our country in uniform, by working in Paper Clips they feel they are serving the country indirectly” , said Jerry O’Hagan, Director of Base Supply Centers.
During the event, one of the Fort Buchanan’s Paper Clips store employee received a cash award for his hard work and dedication. “Out of all the 400 visually impaired employees, Jorge Cosme has done the most to excel”, said O’Hagan.
Brig. General Fernando Fernández was also present at the event. “Jorge represents what the young people in Puerto Rico can do to achieve success, despite their circumstances”, said the 1st MSC Commanding General.
Police officers serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) Police component and Somali Police Force attend the launch of a community policing program in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 9 August 2018. AMISOM Photo / Omar Abdisalan
@deeharvey posted this recipe for me at deeharvey.tumblr.com/post/74623814/seths-onion-tart-for-c... - you have GOT to try it! Super easy, so good!
The only things not from the the local farmers' market are the parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, and puff pastry.
U.S. Air Force Photo from October 12, 1951 -- "An Air Force Base in Korea --- M/Sgt. Arthur G. Kircher, 1504 West Washington Street, Champaign, Ill., has been assigned to the U.S. Air Force's Airways and Air Communications Service (AACS) in Korea. He is serving as historical technician-writer of the unit. The AACS has provided facilities for the safe guiding and controlling of the United Nations aircraft, since the out-break of hostilities in Korea. Navigational aids, control towers and direction finders have on numerous occasions enabled USAF aircraft to strike far behind enemy lines and return safely to their home bases despite extremely adverse weather conditions. Sgt. Kircher is the husband of Mrs. Beth A. Kircher of the above address."
"Korean War, 1950-1953" Photographs Envelope, Champaign County Historical Archives Photograph Collection.
All images are provided for personal and educational use. Users planning to reproduce/publish images in books, articles, exhibits, videos, electronic transmission or other media must request permission. For more information please contact the Champaign County Historical Archives at The Urbana Free Library: archives@urbanafree.org
Volunteers, serving members and veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, participate in a “Soldier On,” Atlantic Cycling Camp through the Trans Canada Trail system from Fredericton to Doaktown, New Brunswick on 15 May, 2017.
Image by: Cpl Geneviève Lapointe Tactics School, 5th Canadian Division Support Group Gagetown
GN04-2017-0434
©2017 DND-MDN Canada
FORT CARSON, Colo. – Specialist Savino Moreno, an infantryman with company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, serves his opposition during a volleyball game at Iron Horse Park during Iron Horse Week, June 6, 2012. During Iron Horse Week, Soldiers and their Families took the time to relax, engage in friendly competition and celebrate the 4th Inf. Div.’s legacy of outstanding achievement.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Khori Johnson, 3rd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div.)